LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 1, 30 November 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

With a view to providing enjoyment for the non race-going public on Boxing Day, the W estenders have arranged for a picnic at Kawaroa Park for that day. The co-operation of the Ngamotu kindred Society is promised, and the West End body will reciprocate at the Moturoa picnic on New Year's Day. The two societies are to be congratulated upon arriving at this sensible decision, so as to avoid the clashing on New Year's Day. The committee of the West End Society met on Friday night. Mrs Pellew was thanked for her offer of a doll and cot for competition at the Boxing Day picnic. Further arrangements were made for the sale of work next Thursday afternoon and evening. There will be plenty of fun, besides the sale of some excellent products of the ladies' industry.

•Gales in #he North Sea have Bettled a j very vexed question—the seaworthiness, oi the destroyers and light craft of the British Navy. Most experts have thought that they would not ihe able to withstand a long storm at sea. These ships are built primarily for speed, and they are supposed to work from a baisc, and never get far away from their parent ships. But t'hey are magnificently sea worthy. Dulring the great .gales at the end ot September, the Britisli destroyers met Ivuge seas, which broke over the littile vessels. They were buffeted about in this record gale for 24 hom'a, with 'hatches battened down all' tlie time. The men were lashed to the rails. One destroyer reported that shehad two men with broken limbs, and tlvajj the surgeon was hurled by waters against the rails, and had big .fingers . cut to the bone when rescued. Other I reports are tllsat tilie seas were higher. tjhan houses, and sometmes vessels held j'their stem, out of the water, and their propellers racing madly. But they came through this immense , storm without damage. '

In connection wi't'lii the statements contained in cable messages that the Germans bave adopted idle practice of | moving troops backwards and forwards on the railways in order to give the , appearance o£ large numbers, a Ifawcra nsident 'has pointed out that the Maoris at the commencement! of the war in J 8(50 endeavored tp mislead the Imperial commander at Waitara by a somewhat similgr ruse. This was during the attack on the 'L Pa—so named 'because it was built in tho shape of the lejter "L." A force of Maoria would come out from one part of t'Jie pa and, with a great, warlike «liow, make for an entrance ut another part, hidden from tihe view of_ tho J|roops. This was repeated many times, with the result thati the British commander and his men were led to believe that a largo partv of \vaikatos had come down to assis'j the ■Waitara natives. It is a well-known fact that the troops smfTci'ed considerable los? at this engagement, and it was said at <|hc time that the. Maori ruse ifcad largely contributed to the defeat of our wren, because it was thought the numbers against them were double er tieble wheat they really were.

The No-License League is holding meetings this evening as advertised, at Korjto, Kaimiro, Albert road and Kent load, rhe speakers are well posted In the rapidly accumulatiog information on the liquor question, and should bo interesting aa well as informative.

Mr. diaries Potts, for some years in ine popular Coronation Hotel, at El,rr a , m ,' a i lcl llloro recently of the Star Hotel. Tauranga and a very popular man in each of (hose towns, has taken c\ er the Imperial Hotel, New PI vmwitli, and announces in this issue siis determination to cater in the best pos-•S'-Me style for customers old and new. n i?'° n f, ° put in ,land a]m ost immediately the renovation of the entire premises, and to conduct- the hotel on entirely up-to-date lines.